BOSTON — The Red Sox built their 2026 team with a strong starting rotation as the foundation. Now, one of Boston’s key offseason additions appears to be hurt.
Starter Sonny Gray left Monday’s game against the Tigers in the third inning due to “right hamstring tightness,” according to the Red Sox. Gray walked off the field with manager Alex Cora and head athletic trainer Brandon Henry after a brief visit. Gray, who logged 2 ⅔ strong innings, appeared to tweak his hamstring while issuing a walk to Gleyber Torres.
First, pitching coach Andrew Bailey went out for a mound visit, only for Cora and Henry to join him on the mound seconds later. Gray threw a warm-up pitch in front of the group and decided to exit the game. Lefty Danny Coulombe entered in relief.
*** READ THE LATEST: Red Sox roster moves: Sonny Gray to IL (hamstring) with MRI pending; lefty reliever called up***
Gray faced the minimum in his first two innings as the Red Sox built a 2-0 lead but labored in the third, allowing a leadoff double to Matt Vierling, who scored on a Jake Rogers RBI single. After striking out rookie Kevin McGonigle, Gray walked Torres and looked to be in discomfort. In total, Gray allowed one earned run on three hits and struck out two batters (while throwing 40 pitches). The outing, while abbreviated, was an improvement from a rough start in Minnesota in which he allowed five runs on nine hits (including two homers).
Gray has been one of the more durable pitchers in baseball over the past three seasons, logging at least 166.1 innings in each campaign. His last injured list stint came at the end of the 2024 season when he was shut down due to flexor tendinitis in his forearm.
If Gray needs to miss any time, rookie lefty Payton Tolle will likely get the call to the majors. Tolle has allowed five earned runs (and struck out 19 batters) in 15 innings over three starts at Triple-A Worcester and was summoned to Boston over the weekend as a potential option to make a spot start if weather caused postponements or delays. Depth options Johan Oviedo, Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval and Tyler Uberstine are all currently sidelined with arm injuries.
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